NATIONAL GROUPS

NATIONAL GROUPS

The people of New Zealand are drawn from several races,
Pakeha and Maori, European, and Asiatic. All have come across
the sea to make their home in New Zealand. It is almost
impossible, however, to give an accurate statistical analysis
of the number of any one race which has come to New Zealand.
No figures exist showing the numbers of the various races;
indeed, the only ones of value are those showing the
birthplaces of the population and they are not wholly
reliable for the purpose. Moreover, after five or six
generations in the case of the European, intermarriage has so
blended the elements that a new race, rather than a group of
races, is being produced.

From figures taken from the 1961 census we find that 91·7
per cent of the population were of European descent; 4·3 per
cent, full-blooded Maoris; 2·6 per cent, various
Maori-European crosses; and 1·3 per cent, other races or
non-European crosses. Over 94 per cent are either European or
have some European blood in them, while 8·3 per cent (at
least) are Maori or have some Maori blood. There are
difficulties in analysing the European population into the
races comprising it and it is necessary to make estimates. At
the census of 1858, 37·5 per cent of the European population
were New Zealand born, nearly 40 per cent were born in
England or Wales, 13·5 per cent in Scotland, 7·7 per cent in
Ireland, and 2·4 per cent in Australia. In 1861 the
percentages were 34, New Zealand; 36·5, England; 15·7,
Scotland; 8·9, Ireland; and 2·61, Australia. In 1878, when
the colony had a population of 414,000, 42 per cent were New
Zealand born, 26 per cent English, 11·6 per cent Scots, and
nearly 11 per cent Irish, while the Australians were
approximately 4 per cent. A similar breakdown in 1901 gives
66·8 per cent New Zealand born, 14·7 per cent English, 6·2
per cent Scots, and 5·6 per cent Irish, while 3·5 per cent
were Australian born.

If it can be taken that the New Zealand and Australian
born had parents of the various races in approximately the
same rates as the remainder of the population (not
necessarily true), they can be ignored. Apart from the
Maoris, in 1858 roughly 60 per cent were English, 20 per cent
Scots, and 11 per cent Irish; the remaining 9 per cent were
not known, were born at sea, or were foreign born. Twenty
years later, in 1878, on the same basis, 50 per cent were
English, 22 per cent Scots, and 20 per cent Irish; while in
1901 the percentages were English, 51; Scots, 21; and Irish,
19. In 1936, other than Australians, 56 per cent of the
overseas born were English, 22 per cent Scots, and 10 per
cent Irish. Although there have been some changes in the
figures, they are sufficiently consistent to show that
slightly more than half of the European population is
English; somewhat less than a quarter Scots; and slightly
less than a fifth, Irish. Less than one in 10 is of
non-British stock. Of course the strains have not remained
pure and very much more than a half will have English blood
in them, and so with all the other races.

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How to cite this page: . 'NATIONAL GROUPS', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966.Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 22-Apr-09URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/national-groups